South America scraps away-goals rule for club competitions

LUQUE, Paraguay (AP) — South America has followed Europe by scrapping the away-goals rule for its club competitions, including the prestigious Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. South American soccer body CONMEBOL announced the decision on Thursday. UEFA made a similar ruling in June. This year the away-goals rule was key for Brazil’s Palmeiras to reach Saturday’s Copa Libertadores final against its compatriots of Flamengo. Tournament favorites Atletico Mineiro, also from Brazil, drew 0-0 with Palmeiras in the first leg of their semifinal in Sao Paulo. Palmeiras advanced after a 1-1 result in Belo Horizonte, which amplified the criticism against the away-goals rule.